Glamour, flamboyance and controversy were an integral part of the Indian Premier League at one stage. Multiple legendary cricketers were against the idea of T20 cricket and they wanted BCCI to scrap it and focus more on the development of red-ball cricket and 50-overs. The apex council however didn’t pay much attention to the criticism and IPL slowly became the most profitable franchise league in the history of the sport.
It helped Indian cricket grow massively in the last 17 years. Many players who previously used to go unnoticed, emerged to be match-winners and IPL was gaining major traction. However, controversies never left the tournament. Over the years, multiple incidents happened that shook the foundation and here’s a list of the top three, that put the IPL committee, teams or individuals in trouble:
Ban of Shah Rukh Khan from Wankhede Stadium
In 2012, Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had a verbal spat with the security team of the Wankhede Stadium, which led to a ban on him for five years. Speaking to the press afterwards, the ‘King of Bollywood’ as he is popularly known, stated that he was attacked because of his religion and in the presence of kids, which infuriated him. Him being banned from a stadium in the city he lives in was one of the biggest cricket news and one of the major controversies of IPL. Even though the ban was lifted after three years, Shah Rukh still avoids going to the stadium.
Kochi Tuskers Kerala being removed
After three successful editions in the IPL, BCCI added two new franchises ahead of the 2011 edition of the IPL – Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Pune Warriors India. However, controversy erupted after the 2011 edition of the tournament as Kochi owners defaulted payment of INR 155.3 and after this, BCCI terminated their contract and was banned from participation. The team that had the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Brendon McCullum, VVS Laxman, Steven Smith and Muttiah Muralitharan among others.
Chennai and Rajasthan being banned for two years
In 2015, the Supreme Court of India banned Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for two years. Evidence of match-fixing and betting were found against their owners, which led to their suspension. It was major at that time since both Chennai and Rajasthan were successful sides in the IPL. Players including Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were banned as well.
